Various vehicles and implements, such as planters, include hoppers for storing and dispensing materials such as seed, fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides. Hoppers typically include a first opening through which the internal volume of the hopper is filled and a second opening through which the material stored within the hopper is dispensed or metered. Although hoppers may have various sizes and shapes, conventional hoppers are generally elongate in shape to increase the number of hoppers that may be carried by the vehicle or implement along its transverse width. Reducing the width of each hopper to increase the number of hoppers which may be supported along the width of the vehicle or implement is extremely important in many implements, such as planters, where the implement must carry multiple hoppers for planting or applying materials, such as seeds and the like, to multiple rows narrowly spaced from one another.
To prevent contamination of the materials stored within the hopper and to enable the hopper to be filled or emptied, hoppers typically include a lid configured to temporarily cover and seal the first opening. During filling of the hopper, the lid is typically supported by the hopper adjacent the hopper with the opening uncovered. To enable the lid to be supported adjacent to the hopper with the opening uncovered, the lids are typically hinged to the hopper or are temporarily hooked to the hopper. Hinged lids typically include one or more elongate hinges interconnecting the lid to one of the hopper side walls. Hooked lids typically include a single hook which extends from a lower surface of the lid and which forms a channel sized to receive the front wall of the hopper.
Both conventional arrangements for mounting the lid to the hopper during filling have several disadvantages. Current arrangements using hinges increase both the cost and manufacturing complexity of the hopper and lid. Moreover, arrangements using hinges generally require that the hopper and the lid be stronger and more rigid at locations where the hinge is fastened to the hopper and to the lid.
Current arrangements using a single hook extending from the bottom of the lid frequently allow the lid to be accidentally separated from the hopper during filling such as during periods of high wind. With both arrangements, the lid can only be secured to the hopper along one predetermined side. As a result, neither of the conventional arrangements enable the person filling the hopper to easily adjust the positioning of the lid to facilitate filling of the hopper.
Thus, there is a continuing need for a hopper and lid system that enables the lid and hopper to be formed from relatively thin and inexpensive materials, that enables the positioning of the lid to be easily modified to facilitate filling of the hopper and that securely retains the lid to the hopper during high winds.